The Boy with the Dorky Glasses
by jokermans
Summary: Ren Amamiya was a hard-working senior in a Tokyo university. His oldest friends ask him whether or not he's interested in getting into a relationship. He however has never found the right girl. He's never had that moment which told him that she was special. As he concentrates on his studies in his favorite coffee shop, the moment finally happens as it enters through the front door
1. The Boy with the Dorky Glasses

Hi everyone! I had a moment of inspiration with writing this Ren/Ann story. To be honest, I've never thought I'd do an AU like this but I suddenly had the urge to write one due to several of the fanfics I've been reading. There was one fanfic of Ren/Ann recently by "olympicmayhem" on AO3 which was the final "spark" which urged me to write an AU! Thanks for the inspiration! I also like to shoutout to "Lyssala" a writer of KH fanfics. Super different story group but her AU stories are amazing! Doubt she'll ever read this! But yeah! You inspire me to write better. Finally, this fanfic is inspired by many other stories and shows such as HIMYM, and even Spider-Man. Haha. Hope you guys enjoy!

Another Note: This LeBlanc isn't in Yongen-Jaya. It also looks more like a university type of coffee shop with big windows and comfy couches.

* * *

"Here's your coffee, kid."

"Thanks Sojiro."

"Working hard again today?"

"Yeah… a lot of tests to prepare for. You know that your coffee shop is the only place I can really catch up on my reading.

"Is that the only reason why you've been frequenting here more lately?" Sojiro raises his eyebrow and smiles a little.

"Haha… Well…" Ren laughs.

"Just messing with ya, kid. I know…I know." Sojiro winks. "Good luck…with your studies."

Ren smiles once again as he heads back to his seat beside the window. He sips a bit from the house blend coffee he ordered. Sojiro's coffee shop, LeBlanc, was one of the best places near his university's campus for students to study. Ren loved to frequent here to read his books. The fact that Sojiro himself was actually a family friend gave him also a few perks. Some discounts here and there. Today he dedicated himself to preparing for his political science exam for next week. And also…

Ren shakes his head as he promises to concentrate. Recently… he's been too…distracted. He was a senior in a top university in Tokyo. With it brought a lot of difficult exams.

Ren begins to study earnestly. He had to keep up his grades for his plans in the future. Sadly like any normal person, his mind wanders around after about 20 minutes of concentration. He remembers one of the conversations he's had with friends of his about a month ago.

*A month prior in the same coffee shop*

"Aren't you working too hard, Ren? Maybe you're concentrating too much on your studies. Aren't you interested in you know…meeting new people?… Meeting someone?" asked Yu.

Ren laughs as he talks to Yu, a childhood friend of his who was 6 years his senior. He kept insisting that university life was a time to build connections too. And possibly meet…someone.

"Yeah, Ren. Don't you want to find that right person? said Rise with a sweet smile.

Rise was also another childhood friend of his who happened to be the next door neighbor, and girlfriend of Yu. While growing up, Yu and Rise were the great older "brother" and "sister" of his he never had due to being an only child. In the neighborhood they grew up in, they played together a lot. Rise and Yu were sometimes babysitters of his, confidants, and also two of the people he looked up to.

"Yu… Rise… I love you both but maybe…I'm not meant to find that kind of love? What if I'm destined to be single?"

"Is that what you really think, Ren? Because if that's the case, then I guess we'll stop hounding you then." said Yu.

Ren shrugged a little.

"Well…To be honest…It's not like I have no interest in finding someone. It's just… I've never had that spark. I've never had that moment where… I've been really interested with a girl before." said Ren.

Ren paused for a bit before he continued speaking.

"I can't have like what happened with you two. You guys grew up together, and fell in love. That's super sweet and honestly, you two are the ideal couple I have in mind, when it comes to standards for my own in the future. My story is probably going to be different. I never had a wonderful girl next door. I just had an empty lot beside my house on the left. The house to my right on the other hand, was the old guy with the 12 cats. Not exactly my type."

The three friends laughed as they recalled their youthful memories.

"Hmm… Maybe we can help? Well… Actually I was hoping to set you up with a girl I know from the agency! She's a sweet girl! I swear! We're close and I think you two would be perfect for each other!" said Rise.

"Really? What's she like?" said Ren.

Well… She has a great… personality." said Rise with a smile.

Ren couldn't help but shiver. Hearing something like that always meant there's a catch.

"Uhm… maybe I'll just wait and see if destiny has other plans." said Ren.

"Come on! A blind date will be fun!" said Rise with a cute pout.

"I'll let you know otherwise." said Ren.

At that point in time, Ren's priorities in life didn't include finding the right girl. It just wasn't at the moment. Saying he was leaving it to "destiny" was also just a way for his friends to stop pestering him at the moment. It was true though. He never had that "spark" or moment where he couldn't take his eyes off of someone. That is… until about a week after he met up with Yu and Rise.

It was a rainy Tuesday on campus. Ren came in to the coffee shop early before the weather became intense. As usual, he sat by the window; as he enjoyed looking at the people go about their daily lives. As he looked out, watching people scramble as they looked for cover, he noticed this one young woman, with a yellow umbrella, and a nice coat quickly trying to get inside. In Ren's eyes, she looked a bit frantic, which was normal considering how outside looked like it was raining cats and dogs. But there was something about this woman, which made her not escape from his sight. He continued looking towards her as she entered LeBlanc. He couldn't quite see her face from the outside due to her hood. But now that she was finally safe and sound inside LeBlanc, she began removing the layers protecting her from the rain. As she placed her umbrella down, and removed her hoodie, Ren's jaw dropped slightly as all he could think about was… how beautiful she was.

He wasn't sure whether it was due to her blonde bushy pigtails she had, those beautiful blue eyes, her perfect facial features, her soft complexion, or a combination of all of it, which made his heart skip a bit. He was just…entranced. She was just… beautiful. The girl didn't notice as he continued to stare. She began looking for a seat at the opposite side of the store. She brought out what appeared to be some schoolbooks, and left it on a table. She then approached the counter as she ordered her own coffee. All the while, Ren continued to secretly watch her.

A mystery girl in a coffee shop. Sounds like a romance novel moment he's heard many times before. And yet… this is exactly how it felt. These things can really happen? Who was she? Feeling like he's done enough staring, he continues to read his books. All the while, he would sneak a glance at the girl from across the store every so often. It was like this for nearly 2 hours. For the first time, he's felt less productive studying in LeBlanc, then if he would have studied somewhere else.

Finally, the mystery girl begins to pack up and leave. She gathers all her books. All the while, she didn't know that Ren continued to look at her as she exited the coffee shop.

"Ehem…"

Ren's attention was drawn by the sound. He looks towards the counter to see a smirking Sojiro.

The wise man leaves the counter and approaches Ren.

"She's pretty."

Ren's face turned red. Was it that obvious that he was interested with her?

"You've been staring on and off at her since she arrived. What? You didn't think I'd notice?"

"No…I'm just…Whatever…"

"Haha. Good luck kiddo."

Ren just kept quiet as the man went back to the counter. Ren promised that for the next hour, he'd be productive. The back of his mind though couldn't help think about the mystery girl.

Two days later, Ren once again on his favorite spot, sees her enter the coffee shop.

"Oh no." he thought.

She wore something a bit lighter due to the nice sunny weather. It however looked wonderful on her. She once again ordered a regular coffee at the counter. After that she began studying at the opposite side of the store near the couches.

Ren again couldn't help but get distracted. His heart was beating a bit fast.

"Hey kid." a quiet voice said.

Ren looked up and saw Sojiro beside him. He placed down his order of curry in front of him. Sojiro however continued to look at Ren.

"Hey. Go talk to her." he quietly said.

"What?!"

Ren looked up slowly to check if she overheard their conversation. Thankfully she didn't.

"No. I can't do that!" Ren hastily and quietly said.

Sojiro shrugged.

"Well. Just a suggestion."

He smiled and went back to the counter.

The next 2 hours played out similarly like the other day. Finally, she left the coffee shop, and Ren sighed.

"Thank God. Now I can concentrate…"

Sojiro shook his head as he laughed at the young man who was like a son to him.

After that day, Ren would head to the coffee shop, to "study" almost everyday. All the while hoping that she would show up. It wasn't always the case that she'd appear. He didn't know her schedule, and he had his own too. He just made sure that whenever he had no classes from a certain time in the afternoon, he would head straight to LeBlanc in the hopes of catching her. He lucked out by seeing her another 5 times in the last 2 weeks. Ren then noticed she regularly came on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and also once during a school holiday. She'd do the same thing. She would order a regular coffee and head to her familiar spot on the opposite of the coffee shop, to study.

Ren would always be there in his spot near the window, trying to study but spectacularly failing due to his attention being drawn to her.

Back to the present, Ren was waiting again as it was a Tuesday. Right on cue, the mystery girl enters LeBlanc with her books. Ren looks to the counter to see that Sojiro already knows who has arrived.

The mystery girl leaves her things by her favorite spot across the room near the couches. She orders her coffee and goes back quietly. After the order, Sojiro approaches Ren again.

"She likes it sweet…" he quietly says to Ren.

"Excuse me?"

"She likes her coffee sweet. She asks for extra cream and extra sugar for her coffee. Just wanted to tell you something about her since you know absolutely nothing. Haha." said Sojiro.

"Uhm…Thanks."

Ren went back to his studies. For the next hour, the routine continued. He'd read his book and his attention would be caught by her as he sneaked a peak. But something different happened that day. It was really quiet in the coffee shop. There were only a few customers aside from the two of them. It was quiet enough that if anyone talked a bit louder than normal, you'd pretty much hear the entire conversation. Ren's spot in particular had this certain quirk that from where he was sitting, the entire store was audible. It was some mystery of the story, but he thanked it nonetheless because he could hear the sweet voice of the mystery girl whenever she spoke up a little.

*Ring Ring* the girl's phone sounded.

The mystery girl picks up her phone and Ren saw that her face looked delighted. He wondered who was calling. She answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Yes. This is she."

"Yes"…

Ren had to pause because he couldn't help but admire the happy face the mystery girl had from the phone call. It then however came crashing down. The mystery girl's smile began to disappear.

"I see…"

"Well…if there are any other roles…"

"I see…"

"Okay…"

"Yes… I'm available…"

"Thank you for the opportunity…"

"Goodbye…"

The mystery girl ended the phone call with a somber tone. Ren wasn't sure what happened but it sounded like she was auditioning for something… and that she didn't make it. For the first time since he caught sight of her since 3 weeks ago, the mystery girl looked clearly sad.

She was quiet at first. She continued reading her notes. But after what seemed like 5 minutes… Her eyes looked a bit red. She began tearing up a little. She did a small quick sob.

Ren didn't know what to do. He wanted to help her but in reality… he didn't actually know her. He was just a stranger. But it crushed his heart seeing her like this. Whatever happened must have hit her hard.

Soon…the mystery girl stood up and quietly headed for the restroom. As soon as she entered…Ren stood up. He walked to the counter and talked to Sojiro.

"Sojiro… can you do me a favor?"

"Sure kid…What's up?"…

A few minutes later.

The mystery girl went back towards her seat. As she made herself comfortable again, Sojiro approaches and places a nice slice of cheesecake in front of her.

"Oh. Uhm. Excuse me sir…I-I didn't order any cheesecake." said the mystery girl.

"It's a treat… enjoy." said Sojiro with a smile.

The mystery girl didn't know what to say. She looked back to the cheesecake and to Sojiro and decided to accept the kindness.

"T-thank you sir. S-sorry. I must be disturbing your other customers from the "waterworks" a while ago."

"Don't say that. Everybody has their off-days. You'll never hear any kind of criticism or judgement from me. Also… I didn't get you the cake…Here, take this."

The mystery girl receives a card from Sojiro as he heads backs to the counter. She opens the cards and reads the message.

 ** _"_** ** _The cheesecake here is heavenly. It always cheers me up when I'm down. Hope it helps you feel better._**

 ** _Signed: The Boy with the Dorky Glasses."_**

The mystery girl looks up and tries to find the boy who matched the description. She then realizes that there wasn't anyone who did. Ren left a few minutes ago. All the while, Sojiro smirks and talks to himself quietly at the counter.

"Kid…you should have stayed behind…Haha."

The next Thursday when Ren entered the store, he wasn't sure what to expect. He was nervous ever since he left the store last Tuesday. Did the girl think she was weird? Was he bothering her for not minding his own business? Did he think he was a stalker? These cruel thoughts clouded his mind. As he began studying and waiting quietly, he noticed the girl was late from her usual time she'd normally arrive. He was thinking maybe she was behind with her time. This changed when an hour later, she was a no-show.

Ren's thoughts became louder. Maybe he grossed her out.

"God. I'm so stupid…" he thought to himself.

He was so distracted by her even if she wasn't even present in the store. Feeling like this was going nowhere, he decided to use up his time for the better and concentrate on his studies for the first time in a long time in the coffee shop. He'll just remember this as a moment of doing something incredibly stupid. The cringe he felt inside was eating him.

An hour later, Ren finally finishes his studies for the day and decides to head home. Before he could stand up, Sojiro appears beside him and prevents him from moving.

"Sojiro…What's up?" asked Ren.

"This is for you."

Sojiro places a chocolate lava cake in front of Ren. It's one of the specialties of the coffee shop he's never actually tried in the store before. It was something he told himself he'd get next time but always postponed.

"Uhm…Thanks?" said Ren.

"I didn't get this for you." Sojiro smiled. He gives him a card. He then realizes this felt strangely familiar.

"Wait… is this?" Ren hurriedly asked.

Sojiro winks as he heads back to the counter.

Ren opens the card and reads the contents.

 ** _"_** ** _Dear Boy with the Dorky Glasses,_**

 ** _First off, do you know it's kind of rude to stare at people? —-"_**

Ren gulped. Was she saying that she knew the entire time that he was looking at her these last few weeks? When did she notice? He continued reading.

— ** _Second… Thank you for the cheesecake. It was really sweet! Literally and Figuratively. It really did help cheer me up. I asked the storeowner to order you something next time you visit to make it even. Hope you enjoy! :)_**

 ** _P.S. - Don't study too hard all the time. Hope you get to relax because sometimes it seems like you're about to burst into flames at any moment._**

 ** _Signed: The Girl with the Bushy Pigtails._**

The PS confirmed the fact that she knew who he was. This made Ren realize that maybe she knew he's been looking at her for some time now. Ren wanted to cringe all over again but at the same time… he was on cloud 9. The girl he's been crushing on thought he was sweet and even bought a cake for him.

Ren took the fork and tasted the lava cake.

"My God. It's delicious." he said. Ren thinks he's found his new favorite dessert from LeBlanc.

He ended up not leaving his seat for the next 30 minutes as he continued thinking about the mystery girl.

Sojiro in the background couldn't help but laugh again as he saw the boy had googly-eyes as he stared into space. Ren was excited for next Tuesday, hoping she'd finally show up again. He was going to gather up his courage and finally talk to her.

Unfortunately for Ren, the mystery girl never did. The following Tuesday and Thursday, she never appeared. The week after that was the same. Ren waited and waited… After 3 weeks of Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ren realized she wasn't coming back.

"I don't even know her name…" Ren said. He finally gives up to the situation. He sighed about the mystery girl he'll never see again.


	2. The Girl with the Bushy Pigtails

Another Note:

Hey guys! This is Part 2 of this story. I'm not sure what else to say except thanks for reading! I hope people like how I built this AU. I'm not exactly the best at writing AUs but I had fun writing this especially inserting my favorite pairings! Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

It's been a month since he received the card from the "The Girl with the Bushy Pigtails." Ren's exams were over and all he could do… was sulk. There was this mysterious beautiful girl out there who he was pining for weeks and he doesn't even know what her name is and where she went. Ren never seemed more down.

"Cheer up son. Maybe you'll bump into her on the street." said Sojiro.

"Tell me again why you're not like a Starbucks where they ask for your name when you order a coffee?" asked Ren miserably.

"Well…1. How can you compare me to a Starbucks? and 2. My coffee shop isn't some super mega chain. I prefer faces to names. I knew how she ordered her coffee, and that's what I call her. House Blend Extra Cream 3 Extra Sugars." said Sojiro.

Ren wished he got his courage faster instead of secretly pining for her from afar. The worst moments were when he thought of the reasons why she didn't show up anymore. Maybe she got into an accident? Maybe she had a family emergency somewhere? Maybe she had to move away forever with her family? Ren continued to stare outside the large window of LeBlanc as he remembered her beautiful blue eyes. He ordered Chocolate Lava Cake several times since the first afternoon he tried it. It reminded him of her.

"I'm surprised you'd be this down from a girl who you're not even in a relationship with. I wonder what would happen if you actually broke up with a girl?" said Sojiro.

"Yeah…But there was something about her. I just knew… there was something special…"

"Uhuh. Anyway. I think you have a friend who wants to see you."

Ren looked around and saw outside the window, right around the corner was Yu Narukami.

Ren waves from the window as Yu crosses the narrow street. He enters the nice coffee shop and greets Ren with a nice handshake, and a "bro-hug".

"How are you doing, Ren? It's been a while!" asked Yu.

"Yeah it has! Good to see you! I'm good… I'm good. How's Rise? She busy?" asked Ren.

There was a silent pause between the two of them before suddenly laughing out loud a little. It became like an inside joke to say that Rise was just "busy." It wasn't because she wasn't but quite the opposite. She was so busy that they barely saw her on a regular basis. It was a miracle that Yu got to see her during the weekends. But that was the power of love at work. Rise and Yu made sure to see each other every weekend even if Yu had to take several trains due to Rise's job.

"I still can't believe she's a superstar." said Ren.

"Haha. It's funny when you've known her for as long as we have. She was just the girl who played with us at the park as kids. Now… she's one of Japan's biggest idols."

"I still can't imagine her as anything than my "big sister" you know? I can't forget how she used to take care of me when I was sick when we were younger." said Ren.

"Hey. I helped out too." Yu laughed a little.

"Haha. Of course, "Big Brother Yu." said Ren with a snicker. "Off topic but how's your cousin? Nanako?"

"Nanako? Well. She's still in Osaka, studying hard like someone I know." Yu shoves Ren a little.

"Good to hear she's working hard. Tell her I said hi." said Ren.

"Sure…Sure…" Yu slowly said.

Ren notices the change of tone. This was something different. He's known Yu long enough that it meant he had something to say.

"You didn't just happen to drop by LeBlanc, did you?" asked Ren.

"… Sojiro told me there's a girl…you're "not" seeing." said Yu.

"I see… And he thinks you can cheer me up?" asked Ren.

He looks around to see Sojiro looking away from their direction. If Ren saw his face, it would have been a guilty looking one.

"Well… seeing you does cheer me up so he's not entirely wrong." said Ren with a bit of a relaxed but somber tone.

"Ooooh. That bad? You haven't sounded this depressed since you accidentally fried your Playstation 2 with spilled water back in grade school."

"Come on. You're comparing that to this? I'm definitely more depressed now…Ahaha…" Ren actually laughed from the comparison.

"But yeah…I remembered what you and Rise talked about the last time we saw each other. About that spark? I had it with her…It was just…" Ren suddenly paused.

"Love at first sight?" asked Yu.

"Y-yeah…something like that. But you wouldn't understand… Would you?" asked Ren.

"Well. It wasn't like that for me. I mean…I've only been in love with one girl, and that's Rise. But… I guess I can tell you how I started falling in love with Rise."

"Hmmm…Do tell." Ren was actually curious.

"Well… As you already know, Rise and I have always been close. We did everything together and it didn't matter if the other guys and girls thought we were weird for being best friends with a person of the opposite sex."

"Okay…continue."

"I think it became clear to me how I truly felt for her after one summer. Do you remember? When I visited Nanako and stayed at their place for 2 months?"

Yeah. Rise and I missed you a lot."

"Haha. Thanks kid. I missed you guys too. But I was in for a shock when I came back. Something was… different when I looked at Rise. She changed a bit too much and I realised I had these…emotions whenever I looked at her."

"You did act weird for a while." Ren remembers from back then.

"That was because I wasn't sure what I was feeling. Rise seemed like she bloomed all of a sudden. I had a hard time looking at her because…"

"Because you thought she was the most beautiful girl ever?" asked Ren.

"Bingo."

"Then I guess you do understand…in some way." said Ren.

"I'm lucky I fell in love with her. It was hard hiding how I felt. But we eventually told each other our feelings. Apparently, Rise starting liking me longer than I did. Which surprised me…a lot. But I believe that what I felt for Rise… was some sort of love already. Even when we were kids."

"Do you really have to compete on who loved who first? Hahahaha." laughed Ren.

"I want bragging rights. So what?" Yu snickered a little.

"Anyway. I kinda understand how it must be… If this girl was so important…it must be painful…but I hate to break it to you but… Do you actually know this girl?"

"Well… not really?" said Ren sadly.

"Okay… since you don't know anything about this girl except that she likes sweet coffee and is "gorgeous", did you possibly think there's a chance that… she has a boyfriend already?"

Ren felt like a bucket of ice water hit him. He didn't think about this possibility. Just because she was alone when she was here studying at the coffee shop, doesn't mean she's not in a relationship. Thinking about it rationally, a beautiful girl like her not being in a relationship was VERY unlikely. This depressed Ren a little.

"I… didn't think about that." Ren said regretfully.

"Hate to burst your bubble, buddy." Yu taps Ren's shoulder in comfort. "Hitting you with hard facts might help you out of your rut."

"I guess…it's just hard you know. I missed my shot with someone. I've never felt like this for any girl before. Finding it and then suddenly losing it. It's just…"

Yu smiles and nods back.

"Ren, you're a great young man. Rise and I know it. We're not just saying this because we love you, but you're really a great catch. I'm sure you'll find somebody great. You're a good looking guy too. So let me ask, why weren't there any other girls before?"

"There were other girls… who liked me. But I was never interested in them back. Like I said. No spark."

"I see… How about this… why not don't turn down the next girl who might have an interest with you?"

"What do you mean? Next girl?"

"Well… what about that blind date Rise keeps talking about? I was on the phone with her a while ago and she insists this will be good for you."

"Come on, Yu. A blind date?…It's just… not my thing. Do you even remember what Rise said? The girl had… a "nice" personality."

"Hey. First off, Ren. Rise said she had a 'Great Personality.' But…well…"

Yu shuddered as well. He remembered the last time someone told him he was going to meet a girl with a "great" personality. The girl was indeed nice and actually kind of pretty…but…she had a weird quirk which he never wanted to talk about again.

"Maybe it won't be that bad? She could actually be "wonderful"? Besides, this is Rise we're talking about. You're like our little brother. She wouldn't set you up with a girl she really didn't think was going to be good for you and likewise for her friend? And getting to know new people can be a good thing!"

Ren pondered for a moment and the thought of meeting new people wasn't such a bad idea. It would at least distract him but…

"Maybe another time… alright? Meeting new people isn't a bad idea when you say it that way. But… I'm not exactly in the mood right now."

"I'm taking that as a maybe. There's hope for you yet. Hahaha." said Yu.

After catching up a little more, Yu had to leave and went on his way. Ren decided to stay a little longer in the coffee shop. His thoughts still on the mystery girl.

That evening, when Ren returned home, he receives a call from Yu.

"Hey Ren. Rise and I were wondering if you're free this Friday?"

"Why? What did you have in mind?"

"There's this restaurant which just re-opened from their renovations and Rise got in to the guest list. She wants you to come with us! This is our little way of helping you cheer up."

Ren thought for a moment and couldn't see why not. He loved hanging out with the two of them anyway.

"Yeah really? Tell Rise I'd love to join you guys. So Friday Night?"

"Yup! Friday Night! Dress a bit sharp buddy. The place is a bit fancy."

Ren took the mental note and made sure to dress up a little that coming Friday.

The evening came sooner than expected because Ren was quite free. His friends from university were all busy so he didn't have any other plans prepared for the week. Ren arrived in a nice blazer that covered his white long sleeves shirt. It was "semi formal." He went to the front of the store and mentioned his name.

"Ren Amamiya."

The waiter looked at the list and saw his name. He smiled back and began to lead Ren.

"Right this way, sir."

Ren walked through the tables of the restaurant and saw how nice it looked. He got worried if he was underdressed but he was glad to see a few semi-formal wearing people in the restaurant as well. But it was definitely not just a casual dining experience. Ren was lead to a certain area of the store, which was more secluded. There were nice little lamps on the tables in between the sitting down customers which gave the restaurant a certain glow. In the corner of the restaurant, Ren could see his friends waiting for him. Yu was in a nice grey suit while Rise appeared in a nice dark purple cocktail dress with her. She had hair down today instead of the pigtails she wore most of the time whenever she worked. The superstar waved at Ren as he approached. When he finally made it to the table, he received a warm embrace.

"Ren! So good to see you!" said Rise in their embrace.

"So good to see you too, Rise! You're looking wonderful today. Yu's jaw must have dropped a while ago." said Ren.

"I think my dress did the trick. It was another instant knockout." Rise giggled as they talked about her boyfriend.

"Ehem."

The two of them looked towards the other young man around the table. He gave them a little glare from the comment. But in the end, they all just laughed. That was their dynamic between the three of them.

"Good to see you too, Yu. Even if I did see you recently." said Ren.

"Always a pleasure, kiddo." said Yu.

"So… This restaurant seems… nice." said Ren.

"It is, isn't it? A friend of my manager gave us an in for the guest list for the reopening. There's a lot of V.I.P.s actually. Tonight's dinner is also on the restaurant. It's like publicity as well." said Rise.

"A free meal? Wow. Uhm…To be honest I'm kind of relieved. I did have enough money though." Ren rubbed the back of his neck in relief.

"You know I never ask you to help pay for the bill, Ren! Definitely not when it's connected to my job!" said Rise.

"Haha. I'll always be grateful for that. But you're like my big sister you know that? I can't help but feel guilty when you two treat me out all the time." Ren smiled as he spoke.

"You worry too much! We love you so we're making sure you enjoy tonight! Come on! Sit! We have some catching up to do!" said Rise.

The three friends sat around the small table and began relaxing as they caught up on a few things about themselves. Rise then began with a topic she was dying to talk about.

"So… I heard you got heartbroken over a girl. That's a first." Rise smirked.

"Y-yeah… I was crushing hard over this girl. But I was too slow. I never got the chance to follow up."

"I see… Well… I'm sorry to hear that… It's hard to hear but things don't always work out, Ren. Yu told me you looked really down the other day. But…I'm glad to see you're better now."

"Yeah. A bit better. A nice dinner with good friends can do that."

Rise and Yu smiled from the nice comment.

"Anyway. I hope Yu mentioned this already but what about that blind date I was talking about? It could be… interesting?" Rise had a cute but wicked smile.

"Ahaha. Yeah. Yu mentioned it. And I told him I'd think about it."

"Well. It's more like… we agreed to a "Maybe" from you, which is now going to become a "Yes! I'm game for it." said Yu.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ren.

"W-well…." Rise spoke as she had a certain guilty look.

Ren's heart dropped. He had a bad feeling that this evening wasn't what he thought it would be.

"Rise. You didn't. Is that why you invited me tonight? For that blind date?! Are we like…double dating tonight?!" said Ren a bit loudly.

"Come on, Ren! It'll be fun! I swear this girl is perfect for you! She's really sweet! She's like a little sister to me too! I kept thinking over and over that you two would hit it off."

"This is "Ms. Great Personality." right?"

"When you say it that way, of course she sounds bad! But come on. You have to trust me!" said Rise.

Rise's phone rings. She smiles as soon as she sees the message on her screen.

"Oh my God! She's here! Oh… Wait. I'll have to go meet up with her in front though. She's having problems with the name reservation. You better not leave! Got it?"

Rise began walking towards the entrance. Ren sighed as he realized he wasn't getting out of this. When Rise gave him a certain look, he couldn't say no to her. Yu just sighed and stood there as well.

"Come on, Ren. At least try to have some fun. Please?" asked Yu.

"Yeah. I'll be nice to the girl. I'm sure whoever she is, she doesn't deserve a crappy evening." said Ren.

Not too long after, Rise is seen returning alongside another girl. Ren couldn't see her face right away from the distance. He could only see the distinct color of her dress. Red. Soon enough, Ren was able to look at her better as she approached closer from across the room. But as soon as she did, his heart skipped beat.

"Oh my God." Ren stuttered.

"Wow! Well. So far, it's just like I said. Rise wouldn't set you up with someone she thought wasn't good for you. She's at least very pretty." Yu chuckled.

"You've never met this girl either?" asked Ren.

"Yeah. Why?" asked Yu.

"Well… nothing. Nothing." said Ren a bit slowly.

"Dumbstruck already? Ahaha! At least you can get over that mystery girl now." Yu smiled.

"Ahaha. Yeah…"

Ren wasn't sure if his eyes were deceiving him. Maybe it's because he wore his contacts that evening. The reason he was suddenly dumbstruck was because the girl was…FAMILIAR.

Upon closer inspection, Ren starts to remember. He noticed those blue eyes that were as beautiful as the sky. The blonde hair. He remembers how they used to by tied up in those bushy pigtails. Now they were gorgeously flowing down her head. Her perfect facial features that included her pink lips and cute nose. Ren now noticed that her lips were a bit darker shade of red most likely due to her lipstick. Ren then got to see her dress up close. It was amazing on her. Especially with her gorgeous figure, it made her immaculate. Ren couldn't believe it.

"It's her."

"What was that, kiddo?" asked Yu.

"Sorry. Just…uhm. Talking to myself."

"Kid. I get it. Haha. Compose yourself! You haven't even talked to her yet." Yu seemed to be enjoying seeing Ren look like a fool. But he doesn't realize the true reason why he was like this.

Rise and the Mystery Girl approached the table. Finally Rise smiled and spoke up.

"Okay. I'll do the introductions! Boys. I'd like to you meet my good friend, Ann Takamaki." Rise cheerfully said as she gestured towards Ann.

Ann waved nicely and smiled. "Hi." she said a bit shyly.

"Ann. This is my boyfriend, Yu." said Rise.

"Ahh. The one who stole Rise's heart? You're talked about a lot at work." Ann giggled.

"Is that so?" Yu raised an eyebrow and smiled as he looked towards Rise. She however hummed in delight.

"And. I'd like you to meet Ren Amamiya. He's a really good friend of both Yu and I." said Rise a bit more excitedly.

"Hello there. Nice to meet—-"

Suddenly, Ann stopped as she tried to speak to Ren.

It was for a quick moment but both Ren and Ann looked at each other in silence. Ren was wondering if she remembered him. Ann had a perplexed look. Like she was deep in thought.

"—you."

Ren approached a bit closer to her and smiled.

"Nice to…FINALLY meet you." Ren said with a huge grin.

Ann then understood why she felt a sense of familiarity as he spoke. The little hint from his words refreshed her memory. She smiled back cheerfully.

"Yeah…" she said.

"Ehem."

Both Ann and Ren awoke from their stupor to see a gleeful Rise looking at them.

"It seems you two are hitting it off already. Well. Yu and I will just leave you alone now. Buh-bye!"

"Wait! I thought we were having a double—-" Ren tried to speak up but he was cut off by Rise.

"Nope! We're eating in another section! Enjoy you two!" Rise dragged Yu and left the embarrassed duo alone around the table.

There was a bit of silence. Ren wasn't sure what to do. He at least had to get a bit relaxed. They were just standing around.

"Would you like to sit down? Ahaha." Ren nervously said.

"Y-yeah. Sure. Thanks." Ann said.

The two of them sat across each other. Both unsure of what to do. They couldn't look directly at one another. But Ann took the initiative.

"D-did Rise suddenly spring this blind date thing on you too?" asked Ann.

"Haha. Yeah. I guess we're on the same boat then. She just told me that we were having dinner but when I got here…"

"Same story. She just explained it to me that I was meeting that blind date she mentioned, right outside that door."

They finally both smiled and started to relax.

"So… you're Mr. Wonderful Personality." Ann said with a smile.

"Rise called me that? Hahaha. She said you were Ms. Great Personality." Ren said.

"Rise sure likes to mess with us apparently."

"I'm sure it's because she loves us." Ren said.

"Yeah. I guess. But honestly, I didn't expect the blind date she kept talking about…I didn't think he'd be… really cute." Ann blushed a little.

"Haha. Well. I can say the same. I didn't think my date would be this gorgeous." Ren smiled.

"Is that so… Well. Maybe you just hit the jackpot." Ann said with a bit of a tease. Ren wanted to speak but Ann continued.

"There is one thing I have to make sure…I think it was kind of confirmed a while ago… "

"But are you familiar with the coffee shop, LeBlanc?" she coyly asked.

"Haha. Yeah…I think I know what you're asking." Ren chuckled.

"So you are "The Boy with The Dorky Glasses!" Ann said a bit loudly.

"And you're "The Girl with The Bushy Pigtails." Ren said.

"Ahaha. Yeah. I wrote that down in my note, didn't I?" Ann recalled her own card for him.

"But… You aren't wearing your pigtails today. Hmmm… Actually… I like your hair down like this even more." Ren said honestly.

"Really? Uhm. Thanks. I almost didn't recognize you without your glasses too. Well. Just for a second though. Now, I can see clearly those nice deep grey eyes of yours. You look good without them." Ann sweetly said.

"Oh really? Thanks." said Ren as he thought about the color of his eyes. People always complimented them but hearing her say it made him feel delighted.

The tension was almost gone between the two of them. They were finally starting to open up.

"I'd like to say thanks again… Thanks for the cheesecake. I was really in a bit of a bad spot but you cheered me up." Ann said.

"I'm glad it helped. You paid me back. I enjoyed the chocolate lava cake you treated me with."

"Chocolate Lava Cake? That sounds good!" Ann said.

"You haven't tried the cake? How did you order it then?"

"I didn't really. I just asked the owner to buy a cake you'd probably enjoy. Now I have to go back and try it!" said Ann a bit excitedly.

"You have to. It's amazing!" said Ren.

Ren still couldn't believe that all this time, the girl who Rise was talking about, was the exact same girl who he was crushing on for over a month. Here she was. Just a few feet in front of her. She was smiling at him. He wanted to know more about her. But he had to know what happened to her.

"What happened to you though? I mean… I used to see you at least twice a week at LeBlanc. Then you suddenly stopped showing up…. Uhm. Just curious. That's all."

"Were you actually counting how many times a week I showed up at the coffee shop? It sounds like you had a crush on me or something. Haha. Just kidding." Ann teased.

Ren was a bit taken back from her comment.

"Hey. I'm a regular patron. I know all the regulars of LeBlanc. You were definitely somebody easy to notice so I was surprised to see you go there frequently for some time and then suddenly stop." Ren declared while showing no signs that his heart was beating wildly. His willpower winning over his heart.

"Ahaha. I noticed you too. The unassuming handsome boy with the dorky glasses, sitting by the window."

"Oh. I'm handsome now? Ehem. Why again did you keep going back to LeBlanc in the first place?" Ren teased back.

Ann blushed and got a bit flustered. She immediately replied back.

"EXCUSE ME! I'll have you know…"

…I'm a BIG coffee lover." she said a bit firmly.

"Is that so?" Ren asked curiously.

"Yeah… Uhm… Definitely." Ann seemed to pause for a moment before she spoke. Ren thought she looked unsure of what to say next. It was just for a moment but Ann eventually continued.

"I LOVE coffee." Ann said in an almost exaggerated tone.

"Well. Me too…" Ren replied and smiled.

"When I tried LeBlanc's coffee, It was amazing! I had to come back. The fact that it was a great place to study made it a regular place for me." said Ann.

"Well. LeBlanc's coffee is amazing." Ren nodded in agreement. He saw Ann nod too.

"But… I stopped going because my program was over." said Ann.

"What program?" asked Ren.

"I had an inter-university program with Tokyo U. In relation to my drama club and acting career. There were several workshops I attended for a month. But my actual school is several stations westward. After it was through… I had to go back."

"Oh right. Rise mentioned you worked at the same agency as her."

Ren finally made sense of what happened. She wasn't a student from his university at all. It wouldn't make sense for her to go back to LeBlanc. That would explain her sudden disappearance.

"I'm guessing you study at Tokyo U. LeBlanc is close by so it's perfect for you to relax and study at." said Ann.

"Yeah. I'm a senior there." said Ren.

"Oh cool. What a coincidence. I'm a university senior too!" said Ann.

"But yeah…going back…I honestly got worried for a bit when you stopped showing. Glad to know you're alright." said Ren.

"Yup! Doing just fine." Ann cheerfully said.

Ren though had one more question.

"Hey…uhm, I know we just met but… I was wondering why you were so down last time I saw you?"

"Oh. You mean when I started tearing up?…"

Ann seemed deep in thought as she decided on what to say.

"Well… You see… I had a call for one of the roles I auditioned for." said Ann.

"Okay. By the way. What do you do exactly?"

"Well, I'm still quite new. I've done a few modeling jobs in between my studies. I've been recently trying for small roles in TV shows and even commercials."

"Well. That's no surprise." Ren chuckled.

"What do you mean?" asked Ann.

"Well. My God. You're beautiful. It'd totally make sense that you were a model."

Ren suddenly realized he spoke before he thought. These were his true feelings but maybe over complimenting someone when meeting for the first time might not be the greatest idea.

"Ahaha. Uhm. Thanks for the compliment." Ann said.

Ann's cheeks however showed a different story. They started turning a tinge of red. Ren himself suddenly got nervous. There was a small pause before Ann made herself more composed.

"But I'm not some bad stereotype. I'm flattered when people compliment how I look but I also don't like it when people always assume I take it easy because of them. I work hard. I study hard to be where I am. I practice, prepare, and audition. People always assume it's so simple. It's not. So don't think I'm just a pretty face." Ann said firmly.

Ren thought how serious she was. Feeling like he understood why. Ren spoke up.

"I'm guessing people misjudge you all the time? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply I thought otherwise. It just…slipped out. My compliment that is." Ren said wholeheartedly.

Ann began to calm down. She realized her own small outburst and began looking apologetic.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound kind of harsh. You were just being kind… I don't even know you myself. How can I judge you?"

Ren nodded to show he was all right.

"So…about your story?" he asked.

"Oh right. Well… Yeah. Like I said. There's a lot of hard work with what I do. That role. I really wanted it. I thought it was perfect for me. I practiced and prepared. I thought I nailed that audition. But…"

Ann paused as she took a breath.

"I guess… for that role… it wasn't meant to be."

Ann finally smiled as she recalled past events.

"And then that's when you gave me the cake. Ahaha." Ann said.

"I-I see…" Ren wasn't sure with what to say with Ann's story. He tried thinking of words of comfort.

"Well, I'm not sure what the acting industry is like… but I think your next big break is just around the corner. With how you're working hard, I'm sure people will notice this about you. I think you deserve it. You've got this." Ren says in a reassuring voice.

"Thanks for the support. I'll do my best." said Ann.

Ren smiles as he learns how Ann is such a determined and hard-working woman. He couldn't help but admire her even more.

"So Ren. I've told something about myself. What about you? What does the unassuming bookworm do?"

"Bookworm? Me? Hahaha. I guess I deserve the nickname. You've only seen me with tons of schoolbooks. But just like you said. Don't assume. I'm actually a pretty interesting guy." Ren smirked.

"Is that so?"

"I'm a multi-talented man…" Ren winks back.

"Oh please enlighten me… Ahahaha." said Ann, amused by Ren's words.

"I can tell you more. But…would you like to order something first? I think the waiters over there are nervously waiting for us to choose something."

Ann and Ren looked around and saw a pair of waiters lingering patiently. They however seemed nervous. Ren thought it must have something to do with Rise and her connections with the owners.

"Yeah. Sure. Let's order something good! But I don't know what's yummy here." Ann said.

"Hmm. Same. But why don't we get two or three items and share? That way, we can try different things."

Ann smiled and nodded excitedly.

"You know…I like you, already." said Ann sweetly.

Ren blushed when he heard those words. He brought the menu up to cover his face. His face felt on fire from the comment. If Ren looked behind the menu though, he would have seen a bashful looking Ann. Reeling from her own comment.

*At another section of the restaurant*

Yu and Rise were waiting patiently for their food. At the same time, they wondered how the young pair was doing.

"You know. You really messed with Ren quite a lot. Calling her "Ms. Great Personality?" said Yu.

"Ahaha. I wanted to make it a surprise. To both of them. I left their descriptions vague for one another because I wanted their jaws to drop. Ahahaha."

"So why did you set them up with each other? I only know Ren so I can't say much for Ann."

"Well… I've known both of them for quite some time. But I get this feeling that Ann can match Ren's personality and vice-versa. They're both such good fun people and I thought they'd be perfect for one another. It's pretty obvious I broke Ren a while ago. He seemed speechless." Rise giggled.

"Yeah. Ren looked a bit dumbstruck. But… it seems like… There was more to it." said Yu.

"What do you mean?" asked Rise.

"I get the feeling… They somehow knew each other."

"Really? I mean. It's not as if they ever mentioned meeting before."

The two thought for a moment and wondered if the possibility was true.

"Hey. Could it be? Was the girl who Ren talked about… Ann?" said Yu.

"But they go to different schools. That's impossible." Rise replied.

She however had a moment of realization. She remembered something interesting.

"Actually… Ann did message me one time about seeing a cute boy the other week. It was when I told her about the blind date. I thought she was making things up to try to shoo me off with me pestering her about the date…But…What if?"

Rise was thinking hard. Trying to remember if Ann mentioned any details about who this boy was? Unfortunately it was a blank.

"Okay… What if… for some reason, Ann was there at LeBlanc? Let's just put that out." Yu said.

"Hmm… Okay. What do you know of the girl, Ren was talking about?"

"Nothing much really. Except she was "beautiful" according to Ren. I should have gotten more details." Yu thought for a moment. He suddenly recalled a little detail.

"Oh! Ren said she ordered coffee every single time she was there….Ahaha. Well…yeah. It's a coffee shop… Sorry. Not much to go on really." Yu regretfully said.

"Actually. That's not a bad piece of info. It kinda confirms that Ren didn't meet Ann." said Rise with a thinking look.

"What do you mean?"

"Well. Ann HATES coffee."

"Really?"

"Yeah. At the agency office, she always avoids the stuff. If she does… she needs it to be EXTRA sweet for it to be tolerable. I think she's okay with the smell so she's fine with accompanying me at local coffee shops but she never orders any."

"I guess it can't be Ann then. But still… there's something between them." Yu thought.

"Maybe I'm just an awesome matchmaker!" said Rise.

"Haha. Maybe you are…"

*About 3 hours later*

Ann and Ren were laughing as they talked over their wonderful meal. Their table was actually cleaned out ages ago. But the conversations kept on going. After Ren talked about what he wanted to do after university, the words kept on coming out for the both of them.

"Wow. I can't believe your friend Ryuji, actually did that!"

"Well… Ryuji sometimes acts before he thinks… But no worries. His arm's all healed."

The young pair didn't even realize how much time passed until a waiter approached them.

"Excuse me, we're having our last call for dinner. Would you like to order anything else ma'am? Sir? We're also closing in 45 minutes."

Ann and Ren looked at the time and realized it was already past 11. They checked their phones to see a few texts from different friends including Rise saying they were going on ahead and that they should have fun.

"Oh no. We're fine." said Ann and Ren.

The waiter left the two of them. Ren was thinking he didn't want this night to end.

"Hey. Uhm. Would like to go out after for dessert?"

"Oh wow! Yes! I'd love to!"

The two stood up together and started leaving the restaurant. They thanked the hosts for the wonderful meal and headed out. As they walked outside, they thought about where they can go for something sweet at this late hour.

"Hey Ann. What about this pastry shop nearby? They have excellent cakes and other desserts. What do you think?"

"Okay. Lead the way! But… Let's avoid any chocolate cake."

"Why?"

"Well… You said I should try that Chocolate Lava Cake of LeBlanc right? I'm going to not have anything that tastes similar till then…. You're coming with me next time right?" Ann said a bit bashfully.

Ren was surprised. The entire time that evening, he was so caught up in the moment, he didn't even think about the next time they'd meet up or if there would even be a next time. But here was Ann, already planning when they would meet again. Ren couldn't help but smile.

"Okay. But after that… Would you like to go around the city with me…"

"…For another date?" asked Ren.

Ann's face couldn't hide her delight.

"O-okay. Yeah. Let's go… for another date." said Ann.

Ann and Ren smiled as they headed for the pastry shop. The rest of the evening went on splendidly.


	3. The Shaking Moment

Author's Note:

Hey everyone! This is a wraup for this storyline. Didn't think I'd extend it this far. I'm still considering a prequel for Rise and Yu but I keep getting sidetracked. Playing Persona 4 Golden definitely isn't helping. And yet… it kinda is at the same time. It's giving me all sorts of things I'd like to write.

Anyway! This is a bit more dramatic and it's about how there's a little bit of luck, fate, and hard work in everything you want to get. Hope you guys enjoy! Till next time!

Also. This chapter was an inspired by an episode of HIMYM. Hehe.

* * *

"Ren…"

The young man could hear a voice calling his name.

"Ren…"

"…"

"EARTH TO REN!"

"OW!"

Ren finally gets out of his daze by a flicked rubber band to his face. The young man looks up and sees Yu Narukami looking at him, with an amused look on his face. Ren and Yu were at LeBlanc for another catch up session since that blind date. Since then, Ren had already explained to Rise and Yu about meeting Ann before. Expectedly, they were shocked by how things fell into place. There was a feeling of fate with their meeting. All the more did Ren feel on cloud 9 with encountering Ann. Rise felt proud as well for playing matchmaker.

"Ren… You're really out of it lately. Haha. Ann really did a number on you." Yu smiled as he mentioned the girl, Ren's heart went wild for her whenever she was mentioned lately.

"Haha. Well… it's been an interesting 2 weeks."

"That's the thing…. 2 WEEKS. Just 2 weeks. And you're crazy for her. Absolutely smitten. How many times have you gone out together since that first blind date?"

"Hmm… I think 3 actual dates, and 4 "impromptu" meet ups since then." Ren smiled as he recalled every moment he's spent so far with her.

"So basically… you've seen her almost every other day? Haha…Wow."

Yu shoves Ren's arm. Ren just snickers back as they bonded.

Right on cue, Rise Kujikawa enters the nice coffee shop to greet the two young men.

"Morning sweetie." Yu says.

"Morning!" Rise replies with a loving smile.

Yu stands up and the couple gives each other a quick peck on the lips. Rise then heads towards Ren as they hug each other in greeting.

"Hello there, Mr. Lovesick Fool." Rise teases.

"Haha. Good morning to you too."

Rise goes to the seat beside Yu and sits down. Ren noticed the mischievous face Rise had. She definitely had a lot to say.

"Soo…. I'm not in the office every so often. But whenever I'm there, I've been hearing a lot of things… from Ann."

That was the keyword.

"Like what…?"

"I'm not sure if I should say…Ann might get mad… But let's just say… it's a lot of GOOD things." Rise winked.

"I-Is that so? hahaha."

"Ren…You charmer! I'm so happy for you!" Rise exclaimed.

"Haha. Uhm. Thanks, Rise."

"Soo… I'm so glad you finally found that one person for you. Ann is such a perfect girlfriend! You better be a good boyfriend too." Rise said.

"Actually…"

Yu and Rise noticed the pause in Ren's words.

"What is it?"

"We're not… boyfriend and girlfriend… at least… not yet…" Ren said.

Rise's eyes went a bit wide with shock.

"What?! Why not?! Haven't you guys seen each other almost everyday? You've gone on how many dates?! How aren't you a "thing" yet?"

"Well… It's because… I haven't asked her yet… Well… We haven't said anything regarding that either…"

"But… YOU LIKE HER… and I can definitely tell… SHE LIKES YOU… and there's definitely something more! WHY HAVEN'T YOU?" Rise was on the verge of exploding.

"Rise… I don't like her…" Ren was silent after he spoke…

Yu and Rise paused in surprise…Finally, Ren speaks up.

"I love her…" Ren smiled.

"…."

"I'm in love with Ann…" Ren happily said.

*PAK*

"OWWW!"

Another rubber band was flicked to Ren's face. This time it was Rise who did it. Yu however nodded in agreement with that move.

"No unnecessary pauses or silences like that! It makes people get the wrong idea. This is serious!" said Rise a bit angrily.

Yu sighed beside Rise. He rubbed Rise's shoulder to make her relax. He wanted to speak up.

"Well… I'm glad you found someone you love… but yeah… what's holding you back, kid?" asked Yu.

"Well… I just wanted to make it special. We're just moving so fast… You know? Wanted to take it down a notch… But I feel that we're getting close to it. Any day now, I'm going to do it. Just taking it… slow."

Rise was shaking her head.

"Grrr. Ren… At least answer me this… You've kissed her right?" asked Rise.

Ren blushed a little from the sudden question.

"N-Not yet. I did kiss her cheek before we said goodbye… the other night."

Rise looked disappointed and somewhat relieved.

"At least we have baby steps…. Okay Ren. Here's the thing. You may have met her before I set up that date with you… but If I hadn't… what were the chances of you meeting Ann again?!"

Ren thought about it and wondered that too. He will forever be grateful to Rise for that date.

"Low…" said Ren.

"Uhuh. I'll be honest because I believe there's some sort of fate with you two meeting. I find it very romantic and all… But you can't just leave it all to fate. You have to do your part!"

Ren thought about that for a moment. Is he not doing his part? Is he taking it too slow?

"Look Ren, the first time you took too long and she got away… I know it's different for everybody but maybe… JUST MAYBE… You should take the initiative and tell her how you feel! Do it! Make it official! Also…"

"…." Rise paused as she took in a breath.

"GO AND KISS HER."

Rise sighed as she adjusted her in seat.

"Now that I think about it… Ann sounded a bit like you a while back… Bashful… but happy. Maybe it's not just you who's taking forever with moving forward… but her as well…" Rise was rubbing her temples in frustration.

"You two definitely make an interesting pair…" Yu laughed a little.

Ren looked at the older couple and couldn't help but chuckle. He recalled a little bit of info.

"Hey Rise… Come on… We're not that slow. In fact… other people can take longer when stepping forward in a relationship… Isn't that right…?" Ren gave a knowing look to the two of them.

Yu and Rise looked at each other. They smiled thinking about their own relationship.

"Okay… fine. I get your point. Our relationship didn't quickly happen." Rise said.

"But… I'm just worried that you might lose your chance again. But yeah. You guys are already lovesick fools with each other already… So maybe I'm overreacting."

Ren nodded in reply.

"Just don't take it too slow…because what if…." But before she could finish, the three of them felt something was off.

"…."

*RATTLE*

"…."

Yu looked up and noticed some of the lighting starting to swing. Ren checked their drinks on the table and noticed it shake as well. It slowly became intense. The ground was beginning to move. The lights were starting to flicker. Outside, the three of them noticed people starting to scream and trip a little. A lamppost outside fell. Some of the glassware fell in the restaurant too.

"Oh My God…It's an…" Yu said.

"EARTHQUAKE!" A voice rang out from the kitchen. Out stepped Sojiro. Worry and Concern showing from his voice.

"Kids! The three of you get under those tables! NOW!"

Ren, Rise and Yu then began ducking for cover underneath the coffee tables. They tried avoiding any possible debris. Sojiro as well went underneath a table for cover. Earthquakes were common in Japan but sometimes unfortunately they can become really intense. Dust particles started falling from the ceiling. The shaking continued. Yu started to shield and hold onto Rise tight underneath the large table. Covering her from any possible harm. Ren could fit underneath the table as well. The three of them huddled in close.

Fortunately, the earthquake ended quickly. It was only less than 20 seconds. It subsided. Everyone didn't move right away in case something might come lose. After observing for some time all of them decided to move.

"Everybody get outside on the street. Go to the open park nearby. Avoid any tall structures and trees." said Sojiro.

All of them nodded as they stepped outside of the store. They continued trying to keep safe by staying aware.

"Looks like the damage isn't so bad here." said Ren.

Aside from the fallen lamppost, most of the things on the street were unharmed. There were a few shaken people though. A few other small broken items were seen throughout but nothing too dangerous.

"Still. We should stick together. The earthquake was a bit stronger than normal." said Rise.

The 3 of them, Sojiro and a few other people went to the open park. After some time, there was news about the earthquake. People checked online. The signal was weak most likely from the damage caused by the earthquake.

"I just called my parents. I asked and they said that part of town is fine. Only mild shaking. Barely noticeable. I asked and they said both of your families are alright too." said Yu.

Relief went to both Rise and Ren about their families. He was checking online as well, looking up details from any of his friends. Ren though immediately thought about one person. Was Ann alright?

"I read it shook the entire Tokyo. Most of it wasn't so bad…but some areas like…" a man nearby said.

Ren heard something that gripped him. He approached the guy who was talking.

"Excuse me…where did it hit hard…?"

The man explained and Ren's heart sank. Rise overheard and she gasped a little in worry. The place that got hit hard was the area where Ann and Rise's agency was situated. Ann today was there for some work. This frightened him even more. Ren took out his phone and tried calling.

 ** _"_** ** _The subscriber cannot be reached…"_**

 ** _"…"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Please try again later…"_**

Ren was starting to panic. He tried calling again.

 ** _"_** ** _Network error. Please try again later."_**

"DAMN IT! The phone lines are down!"

Ren looked around and tried getting his bearings.

"Ren… calm down. Maybe she's alright…" Rise said to try to comfort him.

"Rise… How far would you say is your office from here?"

"I don't know about distance but the time it will take… About 30 minutes by train? But the trains will definitely be closed!"

"It's in that direction… right?"

"You're not going to… No! It's too dangerous!" Rise exclaimed.

"Kid…" said Yu.

Ren for the first time that day gave a serious look to Rise and Yu.

"Yu. If Rise was in danger or could possibly be hurt, would you do exactly the same thing I'm thinking of right now?"

Yu looked away in contemplation. His facial expression showing concern and worry. But in the end… he couldn't lie.

"Yes… I'd do the exact same thing…"

Yu looked to Rise and turned back to the young man.

"Let me go with…"

"No. It's too dangerous for us to go. If it's just me, I can easily go through crowded streets. We might end up getting separated along the way if we go as a group or pair. Who knows how we can get back in contact if that happens. You guys stay here."

Rise herself looked at the two young men. She couldn't lie in her heart… If anything happened to Yu… who knows what she would do as well…

Rise approached Ren and held him tight.

"You take care, okay? You better not get hurt… Now go!"

Ren began sprinting for the direction of Ann and Rise's agency.

Yu and Rise watched on as he sprung into action. Praying for the safety of their friends.

"I hope Ren's worries are nothing to be concerned about. I hope Ann's okay…" Yu said.

"Yeah I hope so too."

….

*About an hour later*

Ren couldn't believe how far he's run so far. He didn't know how many steps he's taken, or the distance he's gone through, but it was by far the longest run he's done in a single moment. He had to slow down and stop every so often to catch his breath and get his bearings, but the adrenaline within him pushed him forward. Along the way, he noticed other minor damages around the city. There were closed roads and crowds of people in open areas. The earthquake caused some other poles to land on cars and there were a few cracks along the roads.

Ren kept running. Worried. He kept trying to call her. The phone lines were still down. Along the way, he saw more people. Thankfully, he hadn't seen any major accidents. Nobody in mortal peril. Ren kept on going. He asked for directions a few times. He tries recalling the agency of Rise. He recalls the few times the directions from when he made visits with Yu to see Rise. He was quite familiar with the area as well. He walked with Ann there too the other week right before she went to work. Soon the structures started to become familiar. The buildings becoming landmarks in his memory.

"Gotta hurry."

Ren said out loud.

All he could do now was think in his head.

"If something happened to her…"

Ren now begged the heavens for her safety.

"Rise was right…" he thought.

"What if I never get the chance to tell her…"

Ren begins sprinting faster. His legs were burning. His whole body was exhausted but he still kept on pushing through the pain.

"Ann… please…"

"Ann… please be alright…"

Ren's race to the agency makes him lose track of time. Was he running for more than 2 hours already? He didn't know. All he needed to know was if she was alright.

He could tell he was getting closer. The streets seemed to be devoid of cars. Most likely to allow ambulances to go through unhindered. He saw a few of them as he kept on running. Finally, in the distance he sees the building of the agency. He does another dash. His body aching. His vision starting to blur.

"Come on…"

He looked around and indeed, there was more damage around this localized area of the city. His worries intensified. He finally makes a turn towards the street where the building was only to find it blocked off. In front of the building there were several cracks on the ground. The building had several dozen broken windows. There were a few firemen and policemen blocking off the area.

"Sir! The people. The people inside… Are they okay?"

A policeman looked to him and saw his worry.

"It's alright. If you're looking for a friend, we evacuated that building to the nearby parking lot over on the other street. It's still too dangerous here."

"Are there any people hurt?"

"There were a few… Not sure who else might be left inside… Look kid. Check there first. Maybe your friend's there. Relax."

Ren nodded and hoped that he was right. He hoped to see Ann's sweet smile there.

He ran again in the direction the policeman said. The streets were pretty empty now. His body failing him. He was nearly out of breath and energy. He took another corner. He stopped to breathe in heavily.

Ren nearly collapsed on the floor. His hands on his knees. His body unable to move.

He looked up to see across the large multi-lane street, the parking lot the policeman told him about. True enough, there was a crowd of people there. Ren couldn't move a muscle. He tried searching through the crowd from where he was standing. He scanned and hoped to God to see her.

Ren stopped as he saw what he was looking for. The beautiful blonde hair he'd never ever not notice. His vision cleared for a moment as the group of people shifted and Ren finally saw her face. It was Ann. She was alright. She looked stressed but safe. Surrounding her appeared to be her friends.

Ren smiled a sigh of relief. He thanked the heavens.

Ren's worries of losing her were gone. But it reminded him of what Rise said. Maybe he shouldn't take it slow anymore. Ren now agreed he had to tell her how he felt. He won't miss his shot. Not again. Not even nature will stop him.

Ren tried shouting out to her. He didn't care if there were other people.

At this moment, Ren was already a bit out of it. His body so tired, and his vision becoming unclear once again. He just had to get to her. He had to tell her. He didn't care.

He had to tell her… He loved her.

"Ann…"

His voice however faltered. It was weaker than he hoped. It was an audible talking voice and not the strong shout he intended.

"Ann…"

No answer. He tried forcing his body forward.

"Ann…"

It was at this moment that Ann turned around to face his direction. Ren thought at first it was due to his calling out but it most likely wasn't the case. She must have turned around from her own volition. It didn't matter how for him because before long, Ann noticed him through the crowd.

"Ren?" He thought he heard Ann say.

He couldn't really tell. He couldn't really understand through all the garbled up noises around him. He was too confused and dizzy to understand any of it. From his unclear vision, he thought he saw Ann starting to move through the crowd of people towards him. Ren smiled.

His body started to finally move towards her. He began walking unsteadily across the street.

"Ren!"

He thought he heard her shout his name. He was beyond delighted. In the background, he hears screeching. He was unsure what it was but he didn't care. He had something to say.

"Ann…I love…"

Ren then saw what appeared to be flashing lights coming from his side. The sound of a siren coming ever closer.

Then there was pain…

The next thing he saw was…

black.

*A few minutes prior*

At the start of Ann's day, all she could think about in between work were the last 2 weeks she's spent with Ren Amamiya. The charming man who suddenly appeared in her life. Her mind was filled with the thoughts of what they did together. Only now did she realise they almost saw each other everyday since that blind date. She actually wished they saw each other more. She remembered how he kissed her on the cheek the other evening to say goodnight. It was a simple sweet gesture but Ann couldn't forget it. That night, she could hardly sleep. Her face felt on fire. He's stolen her heart.

But after these last 2 weeks, Ann wondered whether or not they were going really fast… or even… really slow? She's never felt like this before so she wasn't sure what to do. She had the feeling that Ren wasn't sure either. Her feelings were already leading to what could possibly be… Love. But even if they've gone on how many dates and hung out several times, the question of becoming an official couple has never come up. At least… not yet. Ann feels it's coming though. If he asked… she'd definitely say yes. She could wait… just a bit longer.

These thoughts filled her mind but they were set aside when the earthquake happened.

Ann Takamaki was now waiting alongside her friends from the agency. Ever since the earthquake, they were told to move to a safe location away from tall structures. It's been nearly 2 hours since it occurred. During that time, the management from the agency was also doing a head count to make sure everyone was accounted for. They were also checking if anyone got hurt.

The police informed them that they can head home already but to keep safe by staying away from tall structures. Ann however decided to wait a bit longer with some of her other friends who were unsure of what to do next during this crisis. Time just flew because all of them were worried about other things such as the safety of their family members, friends and other loved ones.

Ann was able to call her parents before the phone lines went down. She was glad to know that they were alright. Their part of town unaffected. It seemed like this part of the city was hit the hardest. Considering the damage, it wasn't too bad. But Ann got worried about her friends' safety nonetheless. And about Ren.

"I should've asked what he was doing today…" Ann thought.

The last time they spoke, Ann mentioned she had work today. She however forgot to ask what he was doing. She thought of the possibility of him being at LeBlanc. But it would be foolish to just follow a hunch. She just prayed he and her other friends were safe during this time of uncertainty.

"Ann…"

The young woman swore she heard his voice calling out to her.

"Ann…"

His voice that was very recognizable to her was heard once again. She looked around to see if anyone else noticed and also for the direction it came from. Was it truly Ren?

She turned around and saw through the crowd, across the large street was Ren. The young man of her affections. He looked disheveled and tired. His hands on his knees. Taking in large breaths.

"Where did he come from?" she questioned herself.

"Did he go all the way here… to look for me?" she thought as well.

The mystery of where Ren came from and why he was here went to the back her mind. It was something she needed to solve later.

"Ren?" She called out.

She starts moving through the sea of people. He must have heard her say his name. He smiled and looked at her. A bit of life returning to his face. She started to smile as well.

"As long as he's alright." she thought. That's all that mattered. She felt so much relief from seeing him.

She tries to get closer and plans to cross the street safely. Ren seems to be thinking the same thing. Ann sees him unsteadily try to move and cross as well. Ann however notices he doesn't seem to be aware of his own surroundings. His steps slow and heavy.

And at that moment… an ambulance that was quite fast was heading towards his direction. He doesn't seem to notice because he steps forward again.

"Ren!" Ann shouts to him to warn him.

The ambulance as well notices the young man earlier but it wasn't soon enough. The wheels were screeching from trying to brake hard and to avoid hitting the young man.

Ann wasn't sure what Ren was trying to say. He seemed like he was trying to tell her something. Ann tried to move quickly.

But it was too late.

*BUMP*

Ann covered her mouth in horror as she saw Ren sprawled on the floor.

"REEENNN!"

She ran towards him. She tries to be careful as she examines where he's hurt. He was unconscious.

"Help! Please!…Help!" Tears starting to drip from her eyes.

"Ren… please… No…"

"Wake up…"

—-

…

…

Ren wasn't sure where he was… He found himself wearing a black school uniform with checkered pants. It was raining outside. He watched as he saw people walk past him. Other people were wearing the same school uniform he was. None of them though called out to him. He checks his phone and sighs. For some reason… he was waiting.

He was waiting for something and he was unsure what it was he was waiting for. Everything felt gloomy. Ren felt more tired than he's ever been before. He looks around and behind him he realizes he was in front of a boutique of some sort. He looked forward again and took in the sad atmosphere from the rain.

"Ren…"

He heard a voice call out to him. He looked to his left and a girl appeared beside him. She wore the same uniform he did with a few extra tweaks such as the red tights she wore. Ren thought she was the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Blonde bushy pigtails and blue eyes… She looked at him with a caring and sweet smile.

"Ren…" she said to him.

The young woman reaches out to him and caresses his face with her soft hand.

"Wake up…" she said.

It was at that moment… he remembered.

"Ann…"

…

…

Ren opens his eyes. His vision a bit blurry. He looks around and sees an unfamiliar setting. It was nearly all white. He notices his body feels stiff and there were parts of him that felt pain. His head was one of those things. The left side of his body felt the most hurt. He realizes there were some bandages around parts of his body.

"You're awake." A woman's voice said.

He looked up and saw what appeared to be a nurse. His assumption was right. He was in a hospital.

"What…happened…?" he asked.

"Relax. You were in an accident. You walked across the street unsteadily… and an ambulance bumped into you. Luckily it broke hard enough that you only got minor injuries. A bit of a nasty bump to the head and several bruises on your body, torso downward though. Nothing broken…and No internal injuries. The scans for your brain show your head's fine too. You were lucky.

"Accident…Ambulance…?"

Ren recalls the sirens now… Of course. It all made sense.

"How long was I out…?"

"Well. It's been nearly 8 hours since the accident… It's already the evening." she said kindly.

Ren looked outside and just realized it was dark. He left LeBlanc in the morning. From there… he lost all track of all time. It then dawned on him who was missing.

"Where's… Where's Ann?"

"You mean your girlfriend? She's been waiting outside for several hours now. I'll let you rest for a bit and I'll let her in after. She told me she called your close friends about what happened. They were able to contact your parents just a while ago too. They should be on their way. Not sure how long it will take due to the earthquake. But this district wasn't affected. We should be safe here.

Ren sighed and leaned back. She was safe. That's all that mattered.

Now he started to relax and tried to gather himself. His thoughts started to spring up. Ann… was waiting outside for him…? She took care of him…? The nurse called her his girlfriend… He couldn't help but blush… and also… feel happy.

A few minutes later, the nurse opens the door to let Ann in. Ren was already sitting up. He also adjusted his bed so that he was upright. She started to move closer to his side.

"I'll leave you two alone." the nurse said.

Ren saw Ann's face and it appeared that there were a lot of tears that ran through her cheeks. Her eyes were a bit red.

"Hi…" Ren weakly said.

"You stupid… moron." she said with her face looking down.

"Uhm…"

"Do you have any idea how scared I was…?"

"Well…"

"The phones finally went up some time ago and I called Rise and Yu to tell them what happened. How I accompanied you on the freaking ambulance, which happened to bump you. All I could think about was… What were you doing?!"

Ren was speechless.

"Then I heard from Rise what you did… You ran all the way from LeBlanc to find me… No wonder you looked BEYOND EXHAUSTED…. You waddled across the street…and BAM… hit by a car."

Ren didn't know what to say. Ann looked like she was about to cry again.

"You ran all the way to find me… because you were worried about me…"

"But you ended up getting hurt…"

"I was so worried…"

"… That I'd lose you…"

*sob*

"What do you have… to say for yourself?…." she asked with tears in her eyes.

Ann was already standing beside his bed. Ren felt so guilty for worrying her. But there was something he had to do.

"Ann…" Ren pulled her arm a little as he lifted his pained body up.

"Wooah. H-Hey… Be careful!" Ann said.

*Ooof*

Ren sat upright enough and brought Ann down a little for a warm embrace….

"R-Ren…?" Ann warily said.

Ann then began sitting on the edge of the bed so it'd be easier for Ren to hold onto her.

"Ann…"

"Y-yes…?"

"I LOVE YOU…" Ren whispered into her ear..

"W-What?"

"…"

"Yes… I love you, Ann. I love you so so much."

"U-uuhhhmm…"

"When I was running from LeBlanc to look for you… all I could think about was… What would happen if I never got to see you again… To tell you… you've stolen my heart. I love you so so much…"

"…"

"I promised that when I made sure were you safe and sound… I wasn't going to miss my chance and take it any slower… Ann Takamaki. I love you… and I want you… to be my girlfriend…"

Silence filled the room. But the young pair was still holding onto each other. Their arms soft and gentle. Finally…Ann spoke. More tears continue to flow down her eyes.

"I love you too. Ren… You're the most amazing person I've ever met. It may have been a short time since we've known each other…but… my heart belongs to you." Ann said.

"…" Ren just continued listening to her.

"I was so scared… just like you…What if you didn't wake up?… What if we never got the chance?…" she continued to say.

I love you so…so much." she finally said.

Ann started to giggle in between her tears.

They've become tears of joy.

"YES!… I'd love to be your girlfriend!"

Ann and Ren pulled back a little to look at each other better. Their faces filled with joy. Soon… they start leaning in. They were being careful…reacting to each other's movements. Their eyes begin to close as they draw ever nearer.

Finally… they kiss.

Their first kiss. A sweet kiss that they will never forget. It was caring and loving. Slow soft, and gentle. It was the most wonderful feeling.

After a moment…they finally let go. Their foreheads still touching. Their smiles showing to one another.

"That was…"

"A bit…salty." Ren teased.

*PAK* Ann tapped Ren's arm a bit hard for the comment.

"Oww! Ann. Not the arm! I just got into an accident remember. Ahaha." Ren however wasn't mad at all. He was enjoying the silly moment. Ann herself felt a bit sorry for hitting him but laughed as well.

"But the kiss was also… definitely… sweet…" Ren leaned in for another kiss that Ann happily took in. This time… a bit more passion placed into it.

The two lovebirds were unaware that through the small opening of the door, there were two pairs of eyes watching them. It was Rise and Yu who just arrived. They smiled at the young couple. Rise herself was beyond ecstatic. They closed the door and walked a bit further away.

"Finally! I'm so happy for them."

"You mean you're happy for Ren's safety right?" Yu teased back.

"Yeah! Of course… Sheesh. But… I love romantic moments like these…" Rise remarked.

"I can't wait to see Ren's parents' reactions of Ann when they get here." said Yu cheerfully.

"I'm sure… everything is going to be alright." Rise said. There was a smile forming on her face as she thought about the lovely new couple inside the room…


End file.
